More than 27 years after the crime committed against the Jashari family in Prekaz by the Serbian occupier, the Kosovo Special Prosecutor’s Office is expected to soon finalize the indictment against the suspected perpetrators.

The Special Prosecutor’s Office has announced that the case is being treated as a priority, while the warning about the indictment is being welcomed by legal experts, civil society representatives and victims’ families, although it is considered as delayed.

The Vice-President of the Chamber of Advocates of Kosovo, Naim Rudari, says that such an indictment is necessary to institutionally argue the crimes committed in Kosovo, especially against the Jashari family.

According to the knowledge of the Chamber, the Prosecutor’s Office has provided evidence, although the lawyers according to the law will defend the accused in absentia.

He said that the Special Prosecutor’s Office should issue an international letter, wherever the accused are, to be tried for the crimes they have committed.

“It is a welcome news, necessary to institutionally argue the crimes committed in Kosovo and mainly in the Jashari family. Although this is late, we know that the Prosecution has provided evidence, because we have many lawyers engaged according to their official duties even though they have to defend and represent some accused in absentia, they have to do their job, they are the voice of the accused but above all they protect justice, the defense is mandatory.. Such an indictment should have been made much earlier, war crimes are cases that are not prescribed and still it is a saying better late than never and before we did not even have a legislature on this issue, for trial in absentia, now we have the opportunity, only greater commitment of the prosecution is needed in the courts, to issue an international letter so that wherever those who have committed crimes are tried and taken the well-deserved decision”, said Rudari.

Also Amer Alija from the Humanitarian Law Fund, said that after the entry into force of the trials in absentia, the Special Prosecutor’s Office has started to file indictments for war crimes.

According to him, any indictment and criminal process for war crimes is welcome, as the victims have been waiting for justice for over 27 years now.

“After the entry into force of the trials in absence since 2023, the Special Prosecutor’s Office has started to file indictments in absentia, since there have been warnings, we expect to have an indictment not only for this crime, but of course many massacres have remained without a judicial epilogue. War crimes do not expire and will be prosecuted while people are alive. These processes have different challenges, of legal non-cooperation with Serbia the perpetrators of war crimes, the eyewitnesses, we have other challenges of trials in absentia, of the criteria that must be met for the start of the trial. Any indictment in absentia and any criminal process are welcome. Victims of war crimes have been waiting for justice for over 27 years, and on the other hand, we have a small number of convicted persons,” said Kosova Press

Jashari, candidate for deputy of the PDK, said that raising this issue is appropriate, but too late.

According to her, there are still missing people in the Jashari neighborhood, and for this the enemy must be punished for the crimes committed during the last war in Kosovo.

“It is a very appropriate thing, very late, but still good that they have raised it as an issue. I have mentioned this in the last protest in The Hague, I have connected them with the fact that the leaders of the war are in the Hague and at the same time no one has been punished for the Jashari family.. The fact that we are a state and the enemy must understand that they must be punished for everything they have done for the murders and everything they have achieved in Kosovo”, emphasized Jashari.

During the last war in Kosovo, in the neighborhood of the Jasharis in Prekaz, 55 people were killed, 22 of whom were close family members of the commander legendary Adem Jashari, who had long been a target of the Serbian state.

Source: prizrenpost